Silver Gore – ‘Dogs in Heaven’ EP review: Promises, promises
Silver Gore is a perfect name for this band.
The London-based duo deal in a twisted form of alt-pop that is, by turns, viscerally human and by others uncomfortably constructed. If this sounds like a criticism, it’s (mostly) not. The debut EP of singer/drummer Ava Gore and producer Ethan P Flynn avoids the pitfalls of a musical uncanny valley to capture something that all of us can relate to in times like these. The unsettling feeling of catching a genuinely human cry for help in amongst a sea of digital rot.
The humanity of the project is brought by Gore’s vocals. Her classically trained, breathy soprano is the one thing on each track seemingly left untreated, which gives her the air of singing directly to you. This can be a delight, as it is with their spectacular introduction to the EP, the uplifting harmonies on opener ‘A Scar’s Length’. Other times, like the ending of the penultimate track ‘Celestial Intervention’, give a very different feeling altogether.
The haunting tremor in her voice as it skirts around the upper edges of her range, backed by a solitary piano, brings to mind nothing less than White Chalk era PJ Harvey, which, considering that many parts of this record sound like off-cuts from the more industrial-indebted parts of SOPHIE’s discography, is rather impressive range from a band still in their infancy. The push and pull between the natural and the unnatural on the record is far from smooth, to the point where they seem to be actively struggling for control of the record.
Fortunately, this is entirely the point. If anything, this record works best as a calling card for Silver Gore’s production skills and ability to give a record a genuinely memorable feel. The transition of ‘Forever’ from a Mouldy Peaches-esque acoustic strum-along to a chugging, Weezer-esque rock stomper had me genuinely believing my laptop was on the fritz. I can imagine the two members of Silver Gore high-fiving over fooling me that thoroughly.
You might have noticed I’m focusing on the big picture here. Talking lots about how the broad strokes of the record, high-minded ideas of how modern alienation feels different to good old-fashioned loneliness. I’m not really focusing on whether the music’s good or not. The short answer is that yes, the music’s good. It’s not great, though, and with two musicians as experienced and creative as Gore and Flynn, one should be expecting that.
There are moments when the record sparks to life. The synth intro of ‘A Scar’s Length’ is magical, as are the aforementioned harmonies, but the song itself plods. ‘Dogs In Heaven’s charming electro-acoustic shuffle and ‘All The Good Men’s widescreen strut have their moments. However, the record feels like so much time was spent on creating an unforgettable sound that the actual songwriting suffered as a result.
To be 100% clear, I don’t intend to slap the ol’ “style over substance” sticker on this record and call it a day. There’s too much substance here for that. A lot of this record is a genuine marvel of production. The ideas are clearly there, the songwriting just has to step up to match, and with two creative minds like Silver Gore, that’s only a matter of time.
A missed opportunity? Of a sort, but only because the peaks are so promising. Where Silver Gore go next will be very, very exciting indeed.
Defining track: ‘Forever’: Probably the best song on the record, and with its most arresting production conceit too. More of this will be a very promising prospect.
For fans of: Imogen Heap, FKA Twigs, proof that forming a band with your partner isn’t always a disaster.
Ideal listening experience: Decent headphones, last bus home, a phone you suspect might be knackered. Perfect.
Release date: September 12th, 2025 | Producer: Silver Gore | Label: Island Records
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